Brett McCormick promoted to WSBK?

13 March 2012

Effenbert Liberty Ducati is reportedly on the verge of confirming an expansion to four bikes for the remainder of the 2012 World Superbike Championship, with Brett McCormick set to assume the available ride.

The team, which is currently embarking on its second season of WSBK racing, has already expanded its efforts for 2012, with Maxime Berger joining Sylvain Guintoli and Jakub Smrz in the Superbike class, while McCormick and Federico Sandi were originally signed to lead Effenbert Liberty's maiden foray into the FIM Superstock 1000 series aboard the new Ducati 1199 Panigale.

However, according to GPOne.com, McCormick will actually make his WSBK debut next time out at Imola aboard the Ducati 1098R Superbike, a machine he tested during the Portimao post-season tests in 2011.

McCormick's promotion would bring the number of full-time WSBK entrants to 25 and would make him the first Canadian to race in the series since Miguel Dumahel in 1997.

With the opening round of the 2012 FIM Superstock 1000 series also looming, Effenbert Liberty is still expected to enter two bikes, with Raffaele de Rosa, who split from Pro Ride Honda SBK earlier this week, tipped to join Sandi.